Spring-wheel.



' 1 .v M. KLING. SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 190a.

1954 523 Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

I y Y- N "1 ,0 1 INVENTOR M 771.0%}?

/ NEYS n'rrnn STATEs PETER lVI. KLING, OF MGKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER M. KLING, a citizen of the United States, andresident of McKees Rocks, county of Allegheny, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-)Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a spring wheelforvehicles having the advantages of a cushion Without the need of apneumatic tire.

My wheel will furnish resiliency, cushioning the blows before the joltreaches the axle. It will afford a substitute for the expensive anddangerous pneumatic tire as my wheel cannot explode or be punctured. Itwill also be more economical in operating and maintaining by reason ofits novel construction and by reason of the materials used in theconstruction. lVith its simplicity it will furnish the same resiliencyand easy riding qualities that a wheel has with the pneumatic or cushiontire. On my wheel a solid tire can be used, as the cushioning and softriding is accomplished between the inner and outer rims through theconnections.

My improved structure is of the type of a wheel consisting of inner andouter rims and is so constructed as to cushion itself between theseinner and outer rims and not on the tire, and comprises as its mainelement-s: first: transversely arranged bolts parallel with the axle,which take the main strain, second: compression springs or cushions,third: brackets suitably disposed on each rim forming a support for theintermediate cushioning elements, the brackets of each rim beingconnected with each other so as to support each other which arrangementenables 111610 produce a light and still strong structure.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a particular form ofspring wheel and cushioning element, the various other forms which maybe used to the same ad vantage being shown in a copending applicationSer. No. 330,717, filed August 15, 1906.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one-half of myimproved Wheel having my improved construction and design applied; Fig.2 a plan View of a portion of the inner rim showing the alternatingarrangement of the brackets; Fig. 3 is a Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed January 18, 1908.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910. Serial No. 411,545.

detail View of a bracket in enlarged scale; 7

and Fig. 4: is a transverse section through the inner and outer rimsshowing the same in operative position.

The body or hub portion of the wheel is shown at 1 comprising a hub 2,spokes 3 and felly 4. These parts I will refer to as the inner rim, andits construction may be that shown, or any preferred form. The outer rimconsists of the felly 5 and a suitable tire 6, preferably made of steelor rubber or both fixed to the felly 5 in any preferred manner. Theresilient supporting member is arranged in the space 8 between the innerand outer rims and is constructed as follows:

9-9 igs. 1, 2 and 4) are a series of brackets or spring supports fixedas shown in Figs. 1 and 2, alternately on opposite sides of theinnerrim, while 1010 are similar brackets or spring supports fixedalternately on opposite sides of the outer rim. The brackets of each rimare provided with laterally extending ears or lugs 7 as shown in Fig. 3which are bent at a suitable angle, so as to overlap the lug of theadjoining bracket of each side, as shown in Fig. 2, and so that theoverlapping lugs of two adjoining brackets are in a suitable position tobe riveted or screwed together. By these means it will be seen that thebrackets of each rim can be made unusually light. Thus the row ofbrackets of each rim forms an annular structure which is suitablyfastened to its rim by means of foot pieces 16, of which two areprovided on each bracket (Fig. 3), and by bolts 17 (Fig. 2), preferablyso that a bolt 17 passing through one foot 16 of a bracket on one sideof the wheel will bind the corresponding foot of the adjoining bracketon the other side of this wheel. he brackets 9, 10 are so disposed thatthe bracket 9 on one side of the inner rim is arranged parallel to andopposite the bracket 10, arranged on the opposite side of the outer rimand each pair of brackets alternates in this relation around the wheel.The space 11 (Fig. l) is a clearance between the brackets and can bemade as small as practicable, as these can never be brought together aslong as the bolts or spring brackets or spring cushions remain intact.The opposing brackets of the inner and outer rims are coupled togetherby bolts 12 which pass through openings'13 in said brackets and haveresilient support on the outer sides of the brackets. The resilientmeans for supporting the bolt consists preferably of a spring 14disposed in a recess 15 (Fig. 3) of each bracket and abutting with itsouter end against the heads of the bolts 12 as shown in Fig. 4, whichheads are for this purpose provided with a concaved shoulder to conformwith the shape of the coil of the spring abutting against it and whichhave a loose fit in this coil. This shaping of the bolt heads isessential for the reason that while the wheel is in operation the boltswill perform a rolling motion, their heads thereby rolling upon theinside of their abutting spring coils so that if the bolt heads were notsuitably shaped to facilitate this rolling motion unnecessary frictionand also distortion of the spring coils might be caused. Furthermore oneof these bolt heads is adjustably disposed upon bolt 12 so that the wearcaused by the rolling motion and also the loss of tension of the springscaused by the operation of the wheel in course of time may be easilytaken up.

The abutting of the springs against the heads of the bolts results in avery prompt and effective compression of the springs. Should the wheelbecome overloaded the brackets on the inner and outer rim mem bers willbe forced in opposite directions and will meet the bolts at the pointsmarked a (Fig. t) and thus practically form a solid or rigid wheelresting on all the bolts in the wheel and no further harm can come tothe wheel during the overloading, and as soon as the overload or strainis removed, the wheel will go back to its original position and resiliency. Another feature of practical utility is, that with the wheelin compression I can compress the springs to any degree even to theextent of completely closing the spaces 6 between the coils of thesprings (Fig. 4), so as to eliminate the resiliency of the springsproviding in effect a rigid or solid wheel to which no harm can come byan overload.

The safeguards which I thus provide against the cushioning and wreckingof the wheel by overloading constitute valuable features of superiorityof my invention.

While I have described and shown the several general features comprisingmy new spring wheel, to make clear my invention, the particular featureof this application which I desire to have protected by Letters Patent,is the mutual support of the spring brackets of each rim so as toprovide a light but strong structure, and the particular shape andadjustability of the bolt heads the other features of my wheel beingclaimed in a copending application.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the character described, the combination of innerand outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, bolts connecting said brackets, yieldingly supported therebyand disposed to have freedom of radial and horizontal movement and meansconnecting the brackets of each of said members causing said brackets tosupport each other.

2. In a structure of the character described, the combination of innerand outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, bolts and com pression springs connectiug'such brackets, thebolts being arranged to have freedom of radial and horizontal movementand means connecting the brackets of each of said members, causing saidbrackets to support each other.

3. A wheel consisting of concentric inner and outer members havingpaired overlapping brackets projecting from the outer periphery of theinner member and the inner periphery of the outer member in combinationwith compression springs and confining rods tending to press togetherthe two overlapping brackets of each pair, the outwardly projectingbrackets of the inner wheel member and the inwardly projecting bracketsof the outer wheel member being each arranged alternately in twooppositely presented series, whereby the tendency of the springs topress together the members of each pair of brackets is resisted by thesimilar tendency exerted on the brackets of adjacent pairs, and meansconnecting the brackets of each of said members to cause said bracketsto support each other.

4-. In a structure of the character described, the combination of innerand outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, bolts connecting said brackets, yieldingly supported therebyand disposed to have freedom of radial and horizontal movements, each ofsaid brackets of either member having lugs on each side disposed tooverlap and be secured to the corresponding lug of the bracket 011either side of it, causing the brackets of each wheel member to supporteach other.

5. In a structure of the character described, the combination of innerand. outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, bolts and compression springs connecting such brackets, thebolts being arranged to have freedom of radial and horizontal movements,each of said brackets of either member having lugs on each side disposedto overlap and be secured to the corresponding lug of the bracket oneither side of it, causing the brackets of each wheel member to supporteach other.

6. A wheel consisting of concentric inner and outer members havingpaired overlapping brackets projecting from the outer periphery of theinner member and the inner periphery of the outer member in combinationwith compression springs and confining rods tending to press togetherthe two overlapping brackets of each pair, the outwardly projectingbrackets of the inner wheel member and the inwardly projecting bracketsof the outer wheel member being each arranged alternately in twooppositely presented series, whereby the tendency of the springs topress together the members of each pair of brackets is resisted by thesimilar tendency exerted on the brackets of adjacent pairs, each of thebrackets of either member having lugs on each side disposed to 0Verlapand be secured to the corresponding lug of the bracket on either side ofit, causing the brackets of each wheel member to support each other.

7. In a structure of the character described the combination of innerand outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, suspension means connecting such alternate brackets andsupported thereby, and cross-connections between the brackets of eachmember for their mutual support.

8. I11 a structure of the character described, the combination of innerand outer rims, brackets alternately arranged on opposite sides of suchmembers, suspension means yieldingly connecting such alternate bracketsand supported thereby, and cross-connections between the brackets ofeach member for their mutual support.

PETER M. KLING. itnesses HARRY E. KNIGHT, G. L. GRIFFIs.

